Wiring Eucalyptus

[Steven]

I love the way Eucalyptus branches grow so irregularly and contorted yet still look so graceful.

Angophora Costata branches.jpg

Mimicking this in an “Aussie style” bonsai is to me one of the most important factors.

The best way to achieve the sharp angles in your styling is to wire the new growth however this poses some problems; the new growth is VERY delicate and damages easily. It also grows rapidly and may double in thickness within a week or 2.

To overcome these issues I use the following technique: -
First I create a coil or spring with the wire by wrapping it around something round which is 3 or 4 times thicker than the branch to be wired. A chopstick or Phillips head screw driver work great.

Creating the spring.jpg

I then slip the coil off and stretch the wire to achieve the required length. Keep your coils even and as close to 45 degree angles as possible.

Stretched and cut to length.jpg

Now comes the tricky part. Starting about half way along the branch I screw the coil onto the branch down towards the trunk.

Screwing the wire on.jpg

As the new growth is so flexible, I then wind the rest of the branch into the wire coil.

Loosely wired branch.jpg

The branch can now be bent into almost any angle you require and the wire can safely sit on the branch until it sets.

After shaping.jpg

The new growth on Eucalyptus species will grow rapidly and set fairly quickly. The wiring on this tree will probably come off in about 4 to 6 weeks and the tree may go into a bonsai pot at this time.

LHS wired and shaped.jpg

Whole tree, only LHS wired.jpg

Nice! Clever...
+30 Tensuu
by gocny instructed by the crowd...

[Asus101]

Next tell us, did you get that gum with a nice sized trunk or did you develop it from tube stock?

[Jon Chown]

Wow Steven, Great post, give yourself an extra 30 Tensuu for that one - it proves that you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Thank you
Jon

[anttal63]

nice one! thanks for that steven. i like ya tree too.

[FlyBri]

Gday AusB & Co!

Interesting technique - I can see applications for it in my so-called collection. In the past, I haven't bothered to wire such fine growth, but would tend to let it thicken and then employ the clip/grow method. Now I've got something new up my sleeve... Thanks!

Next tell us, did you get that gum with a nice sized trunk or did you develop it from tube stock?

Without wanting to pre-empt Mr Aus, I'd guess that this tree was purchased tall, and reduced to the size/taper we see here.

Finally, at the risk of sounding like complete suck, I'd hazard a guess that it's E. scoparia (Wallangara White Gum). Nice specimen too - I look forward to seeing it in a real pot.

Thanks Mr AusB.

FlyBri (happy to be wrong)

[gocny]

Wow Steven, Great post, give yourself an extra 30 Tensuu for that one - it proves that you can teach an old dog new tricks.

Thank you
Jon

Thanks for reminding me..........lol........

i think we seriously need some photography lessons here.................

[aaron_tas]

if you want a good place to learn to shoot your bonsai and accents,
try this place...

http://octavia.zoology.washington.edu/b ... otography/

very informative for the photography challenged

[aaron_tas]

oh and nice euc ausbonsai...

[Pup]

Steven I like Fly have always let the wood harden then wired. I will be trying this technique. I think is a very good post. Who's says you cant teach an old dog new tricks. Thank you Pup

[Steven]

Thanks everyone, I appreciate your feedback.

Next tell us, did you get that gum with a nice sized trunk or did you develop it from tube stock?

Without wanting to pre-empt Mr Aus, I'd guess that this tree was purchased tall, and reduced to the size/taper we see here.

Correct Mr. Fly, the tree was found at the back of an old nursery and cut down to size. I will upload a progression series when time permits.
You may be interested to know that since the original "chop" at the nursery, a pair of shears have not been near it. The shape has been achieved with wire only.

I think is a very good post. Who's says you cant teach an old dog new tricks. Thank you Pup

Thank you very much Pup, however in my eyes you will never be an old dog!

Regards,
Steven

P.S. you can never have enough wire on a tree!

wiring-6.jpg

wiring-7.jpg

wiring-9.jpg

[kcpoole]

P.S. you can never have enough wire on a tree!

As we do not have snow here to bend the branches down we use wire instead !

Reminds me of a line from a Banjo Patterson Poem , but I cannot remember which one
"The weight of snow in winter breaks branches off the trees"

Nice tree and look forward to the progression photos

[BonsaiBoy]

I have never seen anything about wiring like this in a book or online or anything.

Is this an Aussie invention?

[BonsaiBoy]

Anyone. anyone? Is this a first that we learnt here first?
I tried it last weekend and it works really easy. It's not going to cut in to my brances either.

[Joey]

Awwwww, I want a Eucalyptus now! Awsome technique.

[Pup]

I have never seen anything about wiring like this in a book or online or anything.

Is this an Aussie invention?

I am not sure whether we can claim it but cage wiring has been arround a while. We used it in the late 80s--early 90s in the nursery on Juniper and Maple whips.
I had never thought to use it on Eucalypts as like Fly I used to let the wood harden.
Pup